{"id":685,"date":"2021-05-01T14:34:46","date_gmt":"2021-05-01T14:34:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/libraries.4cls.org\/edmeston\/?page_id=685"},"modified":"2021-06-10T12:10:41","modified_gmt":"2021-06-10T12:10:41","slug":"rutherford-house-corts","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/libraries.4cls.org\/edmeston\/rutherford-house-corts\/","title":{"rendered":"HISTORY – RUTHERFORD HOUSE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

HISTORY OF THE CORT\u2019S HOUSE \u2013 SOON TO BE NEW HOME OF THE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

EDMESTON FREE LIBRARY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This historic building and its barn have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places effective December 3rd<\/sup>, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Edmeston Free Library Board of Trustees would like to give tribute to the students of the Cooperstown Program and Professor Cynthia Falk for the extensive research and, as a result, successful placement on the National Register of Historic Places.\u00a0 Thank you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE RUTHERFORD HOUSE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This historic building and its barn are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places effective December 3rd<\/sup>, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TOWN OF EDMESTON HISTORY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

King George III granted 10,000 acres in what would become Edmeston to Colonel William Edmeston, who fought in the Seven Years\u2019 War, and his brother, Robert Edmeston, in 1770. The town of Edmeston was formed in 1808, after being set off from the town of Burlington. A growth in population spurred on new industry including milling, forges, and supply shops.\u00a0 Edmeston farmers participated in the wide spread hops industry that made Otsego County the leading hops producer in the nation.\u00a0 Edmeston developed its own bank in 1882 and its own fire department in 1892. The New York Central Mutual Fire Insurance Company (now rebranded and named NYCM Insurance) was founded in 1899 by VanNess DeMar Robinson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Wharton Valley extension of the New York, Ontario, and Western Railroad (O&W) was completed in 1889, with Edmeston as its last stop.\u00a0 Agriculture was a staple in the area with a focus on dairy production and hops.\u00a0 Tourism also became influential to the local economy in the twentieth century. The Rutherford House flourished during this era.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSPENCER RESIDENCE\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cRutherford House\u201d was first owned by Dr. William Spencer and, over the past 153 years, it passed through a number of owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between 1850 and 1853, Dr. William Spencer bought a series of small parcels on the south side of East Street.\u00a0 He was the son of Halsey Spencer, also a physician, who relocated to Otsego County from Greene County in 1814.\u00a0 Dr. William Spencer built a residence on the site in the early 1850\u2019s.\u00a0 He married Hulda A. Spencer (1820-1884) and they had at least one daughter, Minnie (b. 1863).\u00a0 In 1867, A terrible fire broke out in the Ackerman\u2019s Machine Shop and destroyed the Spencer\u2019s house along with other businesses and residences. \u00a0The barn, however, remained standing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Spencer rebuilt the house in 1868. The rebuilt house served as their home and Dr. Spencer practiced as a doctor there until his death in 1879. \u00a0In 1883, Hulda Spencer sold the property on East Street to Homer Underwood of Edmeston, an important and well-known local carpenter. Homer owned the house during the next fire on East Street, which occurred in 1886.\u00a0\u00a0 This fire reportedly destroyed or damaged many buildings; however, the Spencer\/Homer house was mostly spared.\u00a0 A square kitchen addition on the back of the house replaced the earlier kitchen destroyed in this fire.\u00a0 In 1890, Homer Underwood sold the property to Fidelia Rutherford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRUTHERFORD HOUSE\u201d HISTORY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The town of Edmeston flourished due to the hops industry, agriculture and most importantly, the railroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From 1890 to 1910, the Rutherford house served as a boarding house\/hotel.\u00a0 It was of three hotels in the town of Edmeston. Alterations made to serve this purpose include a rectangular wing, built in 1898 containing a lounge on the first floor and additional bedrooms above.\u00a0\u00a0 Water closets and hot and cold running water were also added on each floor. The first reference to the house as a hotel is in the early 1890s, with a receipt dated June 12, 1891.\u00a0 T.A. Rutherford was the proprietor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The arrival of the railroad corresponds directly with sustained commercial development in and around Edmeston. By 1900, dairy production in New York State was centralized as creameries and cheese houses had collected near railroad depots. These transportation networks were vital for the economic sustainability of most Upstate New York towns and hamlets. When the Wharton Valley extension of the O&W made Edmeston its last stop in 1889, the stage was set for expanded agricultural production.\u00a0 The train became known locally as \u201cthe milk train.\u201d This development, along with the advent of refrigerated train cars, stimulated local commerce and industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An undated advertisement clipping from before 1900 described the Rutherford House as offering \u201cFirst Class Accommodations for man and beast. Hudson\u2019s \u2018bus runs too [sic] and from the house to all trains\u201d.\u00a0 It also described the Rutherford House as a \u201ctemperance hotel.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0The barn played an important role in the hotel era, as it served as a place to accommodate the carriages and horses of travelers and provided sufficient space for hay storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The O&W published promotional materials in New York City praising the region\u2019s scenery and country lifestyle.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Rutherford House was one of three Edmeston hotels serving local business travelers, family visitors, as well as weekend and summer tourists seeking a country respite from New York City. The oldest hotel was built c 1810 on East Street, almost directly across the street from the Rutherford House (now the location for the Edmeston Fire Department).\u00a0 On the southwest corner of the main intersection of Edmeston, stood a third hotel.\u00a0 It was constructed c1840-43 and later known as the Gaskin House. Of the three, the Rutherford House is the only one to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thomas Rutherford died on October 10, 1900.\u00a0 A series of sales of the house include this hotel to be sold to Frank H. Gates, Undertaker who ran it as a funeral home. Frank Gates died in 1934 and he bequeathed the house and lot to his wife, Margaret E. Gates.\u00a0 The house was mortgaged to his daughter, Marjorie G. Corts and her husband Wallace B. Corts who continued the undertaking business.\u00a0 They, in turn, bequeathed it to their son Wallace Corts and his wife, Lorraine. \u00a0Lorraine, a Library Board member for many years, left the property in her estate to the Edmeston Free Library in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RENOVATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Rutherford House, soon to be the home of the Edmeston Free Library, is an example of Italianate style domestic architecture and has survived with a high degree of integrity, retaining its character-defining features.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exterior of the house includes its intricate porch with octagonal columns and turned balusters, double cornice brackets, cupola, and six-over-six double hung wood sash windows.\u00a0 It is particularly notable for its intact interior, retaining its plan and a full complement of moldings, trim, paneled doors, and light fixtures throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CURRENT RENOVATION UNDER WAY \u2013 THE PORCH<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Earlier pictures indicate there were no spindles nor did it have a wrap-around porch.  The columns in the pictures are the same as what is currently attached to the porch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is believed that the porch was added around 1917 \u2013 (see receipt below). Frank H. Gates was the owner of the building at the time this receipt was written. The number of spindles noted on this receipt are the exact number of spindles currently attached to the railing.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0The railing shown on the receipt match the current railing (dimensions \u2013 length, width and height).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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RENOVATIONS OF THE PORCH CURRENTLY UNDERWAY<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

BEFORE RENOVATIONS PICTURES BELOW:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tin ceiling in downstairs parlor rooms:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Downstairs Parlor Room <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Downstairs Hallway <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Upstairs Front Bedrooms<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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BARN<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The barn from the 1850s survived the terrible fire that broke out in Ackerman\u2019s Machine Shop.\u00a0 This 1867 fire destroyed Spencer\u2019s original 1850\u2019s house as well as a number of other businesses and dwellings.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The barn embodies features of the Greek Revival style.\u00a0 It played an important role in the hotel era as it served as a place to accommodate the carriages and horses of travelers and provided sufficient space for hay storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lorraine Cort\u2019s generous gift to the Edmeston Free Library once renovations are completed will replace the current small Library building (since 1926).\u00a0 The newly renovated building will have increased space for community and library programs and services.\u00a0 It will meet all ADA and public building code requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The above historical information was obtained from the United States Department of Historic Places \u201cRegistration Form\u201d.\u00a0 Also, various pictures and additional information was retrieved from two books: Edmeston \u201cEchoes of the Past\u201d and\u00a0 Edmeston: \u201cEchoes of the Past Revisited\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

HISTORY OF THE CORT\u2019S HOUSE \u2013 SOON TO BE NEW HOME OF THE EDMESTON FREE LIBRARY This historic building and its barn have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places effective December 3rd, 2019. The Edmeston Free Library Board of Trustees would like to give tribute to the students of the Cooperstown Program and Professor Cynthia Falk for the extensive research and, as a result, successful placement on the National Register of Historic Places.\u00a0 Thank you! THE RUTHERFORD…<\/p>\n

Read More Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-685","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/libraries.4cls.org\/edmeston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/libraries.4cls.org\/edmeston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/libraries.4cls.org\/edmeston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/libraries.4cls.org\/edmeston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/libraries.4cls.org\/edmeston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=685"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/libraries.4cls.org\/edmeston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":779,"href":"http:\/\/libraries.4cls.org\/edmeston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/685\/revisions\/779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/libraries.4cls.org\/edmeston\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}